SEMO Port ammonia nitrate mishap

To the editor:

I would like to bring attention to the mishap at the Southeast Missouri Regional Port that took place Friday. It was 8 o'clock, and the police department was evacuating us from our home.

The officer said the port authority has an issue with ammonia nitrate and we needed to leave our home, that all residents within a mile-and-a-half radius were to evacuate. It was horrifying to learn from the noonday news that if this had exploded it would have leveled a mile-and-a-half radius.

Now I want to add another component to this issue. What if we had the three ethanol plants in the same vicinity of this ammonia nitrate?

I hope the politicians and the leaders of this surrounding community get the clear picture.

We are in no way being responsible to the citizens of this area if we allow any of these plants to be built next to ammonia nitrate storage facilities. The infrastructure is not in place to handle any of these types of fires. Just ask your local firefighters. They will tell you the truth. Nash Road is not ready for the ethanol industry.

You must also ask yourself how anyone can be allowed to store ammonia nitrate that can level a mile-and-a-half radius so close to the residents of Scott City.

MONTY KEESEE, Scott City